This is a common denialist/skeptic meme. The reality is that while there are significant complexities in the tropospheric measurements and models, homogenized analysis indicates that the troposphere is doing what is expected of it in accord with the various models and general expectations.

It's a common mistake people make... the point is not that models 'can' be wrong. The point is models are 'always' wrong. But that does not mean that they are not relevant and useful for understanding how things work.

Was the earth warmer during the 'Medieval Warm Period' than now? No. Regional temperatures do not represent the global temperature. The Medieval Warm Period (MWP) temperature graphs that people use to claim otherwise, do not represent the global average temperature.

Did the ocean actually start cooling and global warming stop? The data showed that the Atlantic had gone cold. But the scientist that was looking at the data knew that the inertia of the system should not allow such a thing to happen. But there it was... in the data. Knowing the models and the forces involved he did some more investigating and found something... he looked at his wife and said "Oh, no,". What's wrong?" his wife asked? He replied, "I think ocean cooling isn't real."